Breaking Down the Big 12 Championship

By Caroline Szwed

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October 30, 2012 05:44 PM

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With postseason play less than 24 hours away, the Big 12 Championship will kick off on Wednesday, Oct. 31, in San Antonio, Texas. The tournament reveals eight different teams that have earned their way into competition. Here is a brief analysis of the teams in tournament play:

BaylorThey Bears are a team with a great physical presence all over the field. They are able to keep a strong momentum throughout the game that has challenged other Big 12 teams. They use man?marking tactics to deny any offensive penetration from their opposing competition. Baylor is a very hard?nosed team that will attack end line, and strive to get the ball behind the other team’s back line. They also use set pieces and long throw?ins to their advantage. Three Baylor players picked up All?Big 12 Second Team honors: Carlie Davis, Kat Ludlow, Dana Larsen, as well as one All?Big 12 Newcomer in Bri Campos.

Baylor will enter postseason play with an overall record of 14?1?4 and a conference record of 5?0?3. They have earned a No. 2 seed in the Big 12 Tournament.

Texas TechTexas Tech can be defined as a very emotional team that really gets their spirits up for games. They are strong, physical and hard working. Their players are constantly making runs, checking, and on their toes. The Red Raiders are a very possession-orientated team that is made up of technically sound players. They are known to do whatever it takes to get into the box and score, as they are relentless in all areas of the field. Other Big 12 teams can identify their back line as hard and physical in the air, but also a team that is able to get a lot of players in the attack. Texas Tech featured four players with All?Big 12 First Team honors: Janine Beckie, Paige Strahan, Morgan Johnson and Jaclene Hinkle.

Texas Tech will enter postseason play with an overall record of 14?4?1 and conference record of 5?2?1. They have earned a No. 3 seed in the Big 12 Tournament.

Oklahoma StateThe defending Big 12 champions are a very organized team that comes out with a game plan and battles hard to execute it. They work very hard in both offence and defense, as all their players work together and combine play. Their attacking players look to strike from all angles and distance in order to find the back of the net. The Cowgirls look for a lot of transition play to catch opponents off guard and finish them. Other teams can say that their forwards are very quick and good off the throw. Also, a lot of OSU’s success can be credited to their goalkeeper, Adrianna French who is a member of the U.S. U23 Women’s National Team. She reads the game very well, communicates consistently, makes saves on and off her line, and is a big presence for Oklahoma State. She is the lone Cowgirl to receive All?Big 12 First Team honors. Talented player Carson Michalowski, Madison Mercado and Megan Marchesano were named to the All?Big 12 Second Team, and Kelsey Bass and Madison Mercado received All?Big 12Newcomer Team honors.

Oklahoma State will begin postseason play with an overall record of 11?5?3 and conference record of 1?4?3. They will begin Big 12 Tournament action as the No. 7 seed.

OklahomaThe Sooners are a strong team that presents themselves with a lot of athleticism. They are a quick and direct team that looks for transition attack and the counter. Other Big 12 opponents can identify their attacking four as the strongest point in their attack. They are very dangerous in their set pieces as they have a few key players that are able to finish. One of OU’s most dangerous players, Renae Cuellar, who plays for the Mexican National Team, has 12 goals on the season. She is able to go at pace with the ball, quickly turn, slot the ball effectively, and score dangerous goals. Cuellar will be a very important player in OU’s postseason success as she received All?Big 12 First Team and All?Big 12 Newcomer honors. The first-year transfer also was named the Conference’s Offensive Player of the Year.

Oklahoma opens postseason play with an overall record of 7?8?4 and conference record of 3?3?2. They have secured a No. 5 seed in the Big 12 Tournament.

Check back tomorrow for another look at the remaining teams in the Big 12 Championship as the Mountaineers aim for a third-consecutive championship.